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Allrecipes
Mixing bowls may not get the same spotlight as snazzier cooking tools—such as air fryers or blenders—but they truly deserve some credit for being the backbone of the kitchen. I use my mixing bowls at least once a day, whether I’m beating eggs for an omelet, whipping up some frosting, tossing a salad, or making a savory marinade.
However, I’ve had this set of mixing bowls since college, and they’re starting to show their age. If you’re like me and are looking for a new set of mixing bowls, you’re in luck. We recently enlisted the help of the Allrecipes Allstars—our expert team of home cooks—to test some of the best mixing bowls on the market and rate each one on design, performance, and ease of cleaning.
Our Top Picks
Our Top Pick:
Cuisinart Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls with Lids at Amazon
$40
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Best Value:
SALE
JoyJolt Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl Set at Amazon
$46
$25
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Best for Kids:
OXO Good Grips Mixing Bowl Set at Amazon
$28
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Best Glass:
Pyrex 3-Piece Glass Mixing Bowl Set at Amazon
$19
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Best Design:
Cook With Color Mixing Bowls with TPR Lids at Amazon
$30
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Our Top Pick
Cuisinart Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls with Lids
PHOTO: Amazon
$40 at Amazon
$40 at Target
$40 at Macys
Why It’s Great: Sturdy and durable; leak-proof lids; heavy-duty
Grain of Salt: Shows fingerprints
Allstar Nikki Russell knew that the Cuisinart mixing bowls would be sturdy and dependable the moment she pulled them out of the packaging. She found that the bowls never moved while she rigorously mixed ingredients, and it was easy to pour from the bowls despite their flared rims. Nikki even filled the bowls with water and snapped on the lids before turning everything upside down. “Not a drop” spilled out from the airtight seal.
While the mixing bowls passed most of Nikki’s tests with flying colors, there were a few hangups. “They did get minor surface scratches from the whisk,” she says, but insists they weren’t glaring issues. “The one and only thing I liked least about this set was how bad they showed fingerprints.” Luckily, any prints washed out easily with a quick scrub—though the bowls are also dishwasher-safe.
All in all, Nikki highly recommends the Cuisinart set. “It is well worth every penny and then some," she says. "This set far exceeds all others I have used in the past." That’s saying a lot coming from someone with over 640 recipes on this site!
The Details: Stainless steel; 3 bowls with matching lids: (1) 1.5-quart, (1) 3-quart, (1) 5-quart; dishwasher-safe
PHOTO: Allrecipes
PHOTO: Allrecipes
PHOTO: Allrecipes
PHOTO: Allrecipes
PHOTO: Allrecipes
PHOTO: Allrecipes
Best Value
JoyJolt Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl Set
PHOTO: Amazon
$46
$25 at Amazon
$67
$40 at Macys
$25 at Wayfair
Why It’s Great: Six different sizes; bowls nest together; dishwasher-, fridge-, and freezer-safe
Grain of Salt: Prone to scratching
Want something practical that won’t break the bank? Consider this six-piece set from JoyJolt. Nikki tested out the stainless steel bowls and appreciated the range of sizes—from a tiny half-quart bowl to a big 5-quart. Though the set doesn’t come with lids, Nikki did find one advantage the JoyJolt bowls had over the Cuisinart set: they didn’t show fingerprints.
Since the bowls are fairly lightweight, Nikki had to hold them down while mixing to keep them from spinning around. She also noted that they were prone to scratching, so maybe avoid metal utensils while using these bowls and opt for silicone tools instead. In addition to being dishwasher-safe, the bowls are also safe to use in the fridge and freezer, which means you can chill ingredients or dough as needed. The set may not have a ton of bells and whistles, but it is a dependable workhorse that will get the job done on a budget.
The Details: Stainless steel; 6 bowls: (1) 0.5-quart, (1) 0.75-quart, (1) 1.5 quart, (1) 3-quart, (1) 4-quart, (1) 5-quart; dishwasher-safe
PHOTO: Allrecipes
PHOTO: Allrecipes
PHOTO: Allrecipes
PHOTO: Allrecipes
PHOTO: Allrecipes
I Tested the Best Wooden Spoons for Stirring, Scooping, and Serving
Best for Kids
OXO Good Grips Mixing Bowl Set
PHOTO: Amazon
$28 at Amazon
$28 at Target
$28 at Nordstrom Rack
Why It’s Great: Excellent pour spouts; non-slip bottoms; sturdy handles
Grain of Salt: A bit deep
Many of the best family memories are made in the kitchen. If you’ve got a family that loves to bake together, consider these OXO mixing bowls. Not only do they have fun pops of color, but each bowl also has a non-skid bottom to help avoid clumsy spills.
Allstar Aimee Broussard really appreciated the handles on these bowls in her tests. “The grippy handles are comfortable to hold while providing additional support for heavy-duty mixing,” she says. “The spout is well-designed and makes pouring batter a breeze.” Aimee’s only (very minor) complaint was that the bowls felt a bit deep, so kids may need a step stool to help stir the ingredients.
The Details: Plastic; 3 bowls: (1) 1.5-quart; (1) 3-quart, (1) 5-quart; top rack dishwasher-safe
PHOTO: Allrecipes
PHOTO: Allrecipes
PHOTO: Allrecipes
PHOTO: Allrecipes
PHOTO: Allrecipes
Best Glass
Pyrex 3-Piece Glass Mixing Bowl Set
PHOTO: Amazon
$19 at Amazon
$27 at Walmart
$17 at Wayfair
Why It’s Great: Rimmed edges; multipurpose; stable; stain-resistant
Grain of Salt: On the smaller side
Glass is an incredibly popular material for mixing bowls due to the material’s versatility (and aesthetic). Kitchen darling Pyrex has a nice three-piece set available made of tempered glass. The bowls are safe to use in the oven, microwave, fridge, freezer, and dishwasher, making them a wonderfully multipurpose set. While the set doesn’t have a rubber non-skid bottom like some other bowls on this list, Aimee found that the weight of the glass kept the bowls in place while mixing.
Aimee has used similar Pyrex glass bowls in the past, but much prefers this version. Her previous set didn’t have the rims around the bowl. “The rimmed edge is a nice addition, allowing for easy handling if the bowl contains hot ingredients,” she says. Compared to some of the other sets on this list, the Pyrex collection is on the smaller side, with the largest only being 2.5 quarts. If you want a larger option, you could add Pyrex’s 4-quart lidded bowl to your shopping cart alongside the three-piece set.
The Details: Glass; 3 bowls: (1) 1-quart, (1) 1.5-quart, (1) 2.5-quart; dishwasher-safe
PHOTO: Allrecipes
PHOTO: Allrecipes
PHOTO: Allrecipes
PHOTO: Allrecipes
Best Design
Cook With Color Mixing Bowls with TPR Lids
PHOTO: Amazon
$30
$27 at Amazon
Why It’s Great: Many colors and textures available; easy-to-reach corners; includes lids
Grain of Salt: A bit thin and flimsy; lackluster grips
I love my kitchen gear to have a pop of color, so this collection caught my eye straight away. The aptly named Cook with Color set is available in over 40 different colors and texture combinations. There are multi-colored sets, ombre sets, sets with diamond patterns, and plenty more. In addition to being gorgeous, the set is microwave- and dishwasher-safe.
Aimee greatly admired the style of the bowls but noted a few drawbacks. The non-skid rings on the bottom of the bowls were a bit lackluster, so she had to keep a hand on the bowl while mixing. While the brand advertises the lids as “spillproof and airtight” Aimee didn’t find them to be quite so secure. Lastly, she found the bowls to be a bit thin for her tastes and recommends they be used for lighter mixing duties (such as mixing batter or tossing salads) instead of heavier work like beating dough.
The Details: Plastic; 6 bowls with lids: (1) 0.32-quart, (1) 0.74 quart, (1) 1.37-quart, (1) 3.69-quart, (1) 5.8-quart; top rack dishwasher-safe
PHOTO: Allrecipes
PHOTO: Allrecipes
PHOTO: Allrecipes
PHOTO: Allrecipes
PHOTO: Allrecipes
You Can Never Have Too Many Spatulas in the Kitchen—Here Are the Best Ones
Our Takeaway
For a dependable and sturdy set of metal mixing bowls, consider the Cuisinart 3-Piece Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl Set. The leakproof lids and overall quality set them apart from the crowd. If you prefer glass, Pyrex has a 3-Piece Glass Mixing Bowl Set that is versatile and pleasing to the eye.
How to Pick the Right Mixing Bowls
Material
Mixing bowls come in a wide variety of materials, each with its own pros and cons. For example, someone may prefer the durability of a stainless steel bowl, but another might prefer a microwave-safe material such as glass. Other common materials used for mixing bowls include plastic, copper, ceramic, and wood.
Size
Most mixing bowl sets will come with a few different sizes, but it’s still important to ask yourself what you plan on using the mixing bowls for. If you want to make big batches of cookies or enough pancakes to feed a whole party, you may want to opt for larger bowls. Typically, larger bowls can range from 4- to 6-quarts, though there are bigger models than that. If you want to make a serving or two of a pork chop marinade or a bit of garlic butter spread, a smaller bowl is ideal. Some mixing bowls are as small as 0.25 quarts!
Design
A bowl seems about as simple as kitchenware can get, but there are several design elements that you should take into consideration. Both of our Allstar testers pointed to unique design choices that enhanced their cooking experience. Things like flared rims, pour spouts, handles, and non-skid bottom grips elevated certain mixing bowls over other, plainer models.
About Our Tests
After thoroughly researching popular mixing bowls, we sent several sets to two Allstars—Aimee Broussard and Nikki Russell. Both Aimee and Nikki incorporated the bowls into their everyday cooking routine and evaluated each set using the following criteria:
- Design: What material are the bowls made of? Do they feel durable? Are the rims flared or flat? Are the largest bowls shallow or deep? Does the bottom of the bowl have a grip?
- Performance: Does the bowl spin during use? Can you easily reach into the corners of the bowl? Does the rim cause issues when pouring? Is there splatter when mixing?
- Cleanup: Are the bowls easy to clean? If you put them in the dishwasher, is there any damage?
Common Questions
Can you put a mixing bowl in the microwave?
Whether or not you can place a bowl in the microwave depends on its material. Any bowl made of metal, or even with metal rims or decorations, cannot be put in the microwave. Avoid putting wooden bowls in the microwave, too. Some plastic bowls are microwave-safe, while others are not. Be sure to check the manufacturer’s label to see whether your bowl is safe to heat or not. Glass and ceramic are typically safe, though it’s still worth double-checking to be certain.
Can you use a mixing bowl as a double boiler?
A double boiler typically uses two nested pots to gently heat or melt ingredients with the resulting steam. So can you use two mixing bowls instead? Yes! Stainless steel and certain heat-resistant glass bowls can be used to create a makeshift double boiler. Fill the larger, bottom bowl with hot water and insert a smaller bowl on top. With this method, you can temper chocolate, emulsify dressings, or steam dough.
How do you keep your mixing bowls in good condition?
A cook is only as good as their tools, so how do you maintain a mixing bowl? Firstly, make sure your mixing bowls are thoroughly washed after use. Many bowls are safe to put in the dishwasher, though all of them can be washed and dried by hand.
Keep the bowl’s material in mind when you’re mixing. For example, you may want to avoid using metal whisks or beaters if you’re using a metal mixing bowl to avoid scratches. Scratches are more than an eye sore—they can also harbor bacteria or food bits if not thoroughly cleaned. Likewise, if you see any cracks in wood or glass bowls, it’s time to get a new one. Some wooden bowls may also require regular oiling to keep them healthy.
Why Take Our Word for It?
Writer Allison Wignall spent her childhood elbow-deep in many mixing bowls, whether she was helping her mom make wedding cake cookies or beating chocolate fudge with her grandpa. Her work has been featured in publications including The Spruce Eats, Food & Wine, and Southern Living.
Allison wrote this article using the thorough testing insights of two Allrecipes Allstars. Louisiana-based Aimee Broussard has written multiple cookbooks and won awards for her original recipes. Nikki Russell, aka Soup Loving Nicole, has submitted nearly 4,000 reviews on Allrecipes.
Want to know more about the Allrecipes Allstars? Learn about their favorite recipes, kitchen hacks, and product picks.
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